2017-02-03_PERMIT FILE - C1980004 ‎(2)‎

• Permit No: C1980004
• IBM Index Class Name: Permit File
• Doc Date: 2/3/2017
• Section_Exhibit Name: Volume I Sections 2.03 & 2.04
• Media Type: D
• Archive: No

2.04.10 Vegetation Information
The study site is located in the lower montane climax region of Marr (1967); the
saltbrush - greasewood and juniper- pinyon woodland potential natural vegetation as
mapped by Kuchler (1966); the northern desert shrub and conifer woodland phase of
the desert and conifer biomes, respectively, as described by Hylander (1966); and the
cold desert communities (pinyon -juniper and shadscale) as described by Shelford
(1963).
DESCRIPTION OF VEGETATION
The permit area is characterized by three vegetation types. They include a
Greasewood Shrubland along East Salt Creek drainage, a Shadscale Shrubland on
south -facing talus slopes of canyon ridges and a juniper Woodland on the dry, shallow
rock soils and slopes of the mountainous terrain. Each of these vegetation, types are
affected by mining activities. See Table 4.5-2.
These community types are described below from quantitative data collected
during the 1980 growing season. Figure 4.5-1, vegetation map, illustrates the vegetation
types of the permit area and a surrounding region.
GREASEWOOD SHRUBLAND
A Greasewood Shrubland vegetation type occurs on the flat terrain along East
Salt Creek at the mouth of McClane Canyon. The major soil type in this vegetation type
is the Glendive sandy loam, a deep, well drained, medium textured soil. The Havre
loam, a deep, well drained, medium -fine textured soil is also common. This latter soil is
very sodic and moderately saline, characteristics often associated with greasewood
vegetation types. This Greasewood Shrubland is a climax vegetation type. See Figure
4.5-3.
COVER
Thirty-five plant species were identified in this vegetation type. The inventory
includes 1 tree, 8 shrubs plus subshrubs, 10 graminoids, 14 forbs, and 2 succulents.
Shrubs and graminoids are dominant in the cover providing 33.2 and 32.1 percent
cover, respectively, of the 74.4 percent estimated vegetation cover. Total forb cover is
8.8 percent. Succulent cover is low at 0.3 percent. Litter and soil cover are moderately
high with 14.7 and 10.3 percent cover, respectively.
Ants are a major factor in the ecology of this vegetation type, affecting vegetation
and soil cover. Large circular shaped bare spots, 3 to 10 meters in diameter and
PR -02 2.04-57 10/12